Valve and means for operating the same



Aug. 1943- E. A. RUTLEDGE I 2,326,686

VALVE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME Filed Aug. 3, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill am 4 i r L. az 1 51': /4. Az/f/aafge 49% M 1943- 6 E. A.VRUTLEDGE 2,326,686

VALVE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME Filed Aug. 5. 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet :s

y fl m (W ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1943 2,326,686 'VALVE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE P i SAM Eric, A. Rutledge, Troy, N. Y., assignor to Rensselaer Valve Company, Cohoes, N. .Y .,la

corporation of New York Application August a, 1940, Serial No. 350,563 r 7 a 4 Claims. (01137-139)v While not necessarily limited thereto, my invention is particularly useful in the operation of a cone valve provided with fluid pressure-operated means for seating and unseating the valve and a second fluid pressure operated means for turning the valve.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the control for both the fluid pressure operated mechanism for seating and unseating the cone valve and for the fluid pressure operated means for turning the valve comprises two four-way valves one of which is under the control of the operator and the other of which isbunder the control of the device which actuates the second control mechanism. V p v A device has hitherto been proposed in. which two fluid pressure operated devices have been suggested, the one for seating andunse'ating the cone valve and the other for turning the same,

- and'it has also been s gested thatthe operation each of both ofthese devices be placed under the control of a four-way valve. So far as I am aware-however, no means have been provided in a system comprising a cylinder and its piston for operating the seating and unseating cylinders which equalizes pressure on oppositesides of the piston and therefore prevents operationof said piston while permitting operation of the means for turning the valve. With systems of the general character heretofore suggested, when the.

valve starts to operate, the complete cycle is carried out without reference to the angular position i of the cone valve and with'the resultthat the valve might pro-seat when not in the fully opened or closed position. A valve thus actuated is inoperative for all practical purposes.

In accordance with myinvention means operable in response to the movement of the means for turning the cone valve are providedifor trapping fluid on opposite sides of the piston whic Y 1 operates the mechanism at the limits of its movements for automatically bringing the piston in the plug raising and seating cylinder to neutral position.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which I a preferred embodiment thereof have illustrated and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section, partially in'elevation, of a cone valve and its housing and the head. therefor and showing somewhat diagrammatically the means cooperating withthe actuating mechanism which turns the; valve and which renders the fluid pressure operated means "for seating-and 'unseating the valve inoperative;

' Fig. 3 with the finger omitted I e same in the positions which they the valve' is fully-seated and open} 7 Fig. 2is a'front view ofthe meansfforturning the cone valve and in which' the rack bar and the thereby are 'shown in dotted Fig. 4 is a section through the headof the valve and illustrating certain of tralizer in more detail;

the partsof the 'neu- Fig. '5 is a section taken along thegline" 5 5 of I Fig. 6 is a-diagram-matic'view illustrating the fluid pressure operated means for seating and unseating the valve and the means iorturiiing the occupy when Fig. 7 illustrates the four way valves, operating i"pistons, and direction of pressure when the-plug .is unseating and starts'to close;

Fig. 8 illustrates the position of the four way valves, operating-pistons, and direction of 'pressure when theplug is unseateda'nd closing, and

pressureis equalized on both sides of the seating and unseating piston;

' surewhen the plug'is 'unseating 'andi'starts,

open.

Fig.- 9 illustrates the position {of "the four wayvalves, operating pistons, anddirection of -pressure'when theplug is seated inthe closed posi- 'tion,and

Fig. 10 illustrates the 'positionofthefour way valves, operating pistons; and direction off-preslike reference 7 characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

- Referring to thedrawingsand first to Fig-.1; In

is'a cone or plug providedwith a passage H therethrough and which is'illustrated in Fig; lfinthe closed and seated position. Whenturned at right angles to theposition illustrated; it'provides communication between passage Island a passage not illustrated on the opposite side of the "valve;

- Suitable seating rings 12 areprovided between fthe valve-member and its housing 13 'a' 'ibest indicatedinFig.'l;-- -1. The cone valve is actuatedby-a 'stem M which is pinned or otherwise secured' at its lower'end at [5 to a boss H? with which; the valve is'provi ded. 7 The upper end. of the stem I4 is attachedto a pisten [1 in a. cylinder l to theupper end of which fluid under pressure is introduced fo'r released by pressure is relieved at the top of the cylinder through the four-way valve 39 and to the waste pipe 69. The right hand end of the cylinder 31 is also exhausted through a pipe connection the cylinder leading from the right hand end of to the valve 39 and to waste.

Fig. 8 illustrates the position of the four-way valve 39 and operating pistons when the cone valve is unseated and closing and the openings leading from the four-way valve 38 to the upper and lower side of the piston H are closed, the plug 38! having been moved to a, position where it closes the pipes 66 and 61 leading to the respective sides of the piston H. At the same time plug 3% in the four-way valve 39 remains in the position to admit fluid under pressure to the left cone valve'rotatable between two operative -posi tions, a-source of fluid under pressure, a first fluid. operated motor connected to rotate said cone valve, a second fluid-operated motor connected to seat and unseat said cone valve," a secondary Valve for controlling flow of fluid to'and "exhaust of fluid from s'aid--s'econd motor, a primary valve to control flow of fluid from said source toand.

exhaust of fluid from said first motor and said secondary valve; said cone valve being connected to operatesaid-secondary valve from'an open position, in'which fluidis supplied to said second motor' to unseat the cone valve, to a closed'po'sition of said secondary valve, in which supply-of fluid to and exhaust'offluid from said'second motor is prevented, upon initiation of rotation of said cone valve from either of its said operative end of the cylinder 3! and to relieve pressure from the opposite end thereof to 'valve 33.

Fig. 9 illustrates thefour-way valves and the the four-way pistons in their respective cylinders I8 and 3! in the positions which they occupy when the cone valve is seated in the closed position.

Fig. 10 illustrates the position of the four-way valves and the operating pistons when the plug is unseating and starts to open. At this time the plug in the four-way valve 39 is in a position to admit fluid under pressure from the inlet pipe 64 to the right hand end of the cylinder 31 and the four-way valve 38 is in a position to admit fluid under pressure from the inlet pipe 64 to the lower end of the cylinder 7 l8 beneath the piston l1.

Fluid under pressure passes from inlet pipe 64 to the right hand end of cylinder 31 thereby starting the main valve to open. The left hand end of the cylinder 37 and 'the'upper end of cylinder [8 communicate with waste through the valve 39.

In case it is desired to return the cone valve to its initial operating position without the necessity of completing the cycle of operation it is only necessary for the operator to throw the manually operated valve 39 to the position shown in Fig. 7. Then when automatically operated valve 38 arrives at the position shown in Fig. 8 through the operation of the cone valve, fluid is trapped in the ends of the cylinder l8, and further axial movement of the cone valve is prevented. 7

While I have illustrated my invention in connection with a cone valve, it will be understood that it is not limited thereto although the situation does not ordinarily arise with a valve other than a cone valve for applying my invention.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have usedare words of description rather than. of limitation. Hence,

changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its roader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a

positions; and said cone valve'being also connected to operate said secondary valve from said closed position to a second open position, in which fluid is supplied to said second motor to seat said cone valve, as said cone valve is rotated to approach either of its said operative positions.

2. Ina device of the character described, a cone-valve rotatable between two operative positions, a source of fluid underpressure, a first fluid operated .motor connected to rotate said cone valve, a second fluid operated motor connected to seat and unseat said cone valve, a secondary valve for controlling flow of fluid to and exhaust of fluid from said second motor, a primary valve to control flow of fluid from said source to and exhaust of fluid from said first motor and said secondary valve; said cone valvebeing connected to operate said secondary valvefrom an open position, in which fluid is supplied to said second motor to unseat the cone valve, to a closed position of said secondary valve, in which I supply of fluid to and exhaust of fluid from said second motor is prevented, upon initiation of rotation of said cone valve from an operative position; and said cone valve being also connected to operate said secondary valve from said closed position to a second open position, in which fluid ,issupplied to said second motor to seat said cone 1 valve, as said cone valve is rotated to .approach said operative position.

3. In a device of the character described, a

conevalve rotatable between two operative positions, a source of fluid under pressure, a first fluid-operatedmotor connected to rotate said cone-valve, a second fluid-operated motor connected to seat and unseat said cone valve, a secondary valve operable in response to the movements of said first fluid-operated motor for controlling flow of fluid to and exhaust of fluid from said second motor, a manually-operable primary valve to control flow of fluid from said source to and exhaust of fluid from said first motor and said secondary valve, said cone valve being connected to operate said secondary valve from said second motor is prevented upon initiation of rotation of said cone valve from an.operative position: and said cone'valve being also connected to operate said secondary valve from said closed position to a secondopen position in which fluid is supplied to said second motor to seat said cone valve, as said cone valve is rotated to approach either of the said operative positions.

4. In a device of the character described, a cone valve having a stem with a swivel connec- 

